Backyards
by coup in the zoo
Summary: They lost their lives in backyards. Mac and Cassidy meet at a party. Hijinks insue. Sort of. Oneshot, slightly AU.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Mac, Cassidy, or any of the other Neptunians. The title, first/last lines, and the inspiration are all from the song "Backyards" by Broken Social Scene. Download it now.

**Note: **This is AU, I suppose. It's meant to take place the summer after season one, when Veronica and Logan are still dating and everything. Enjoy._  
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_Broken boys look good sitting on their shoes._

Cassidy decides that he needs to grow a backbone.

"Come on, Beav, it'll be awesome," Dick told him earlier that week.

"Can't you just go without me?" Cassidy had asked.

"Please, Cassidy?"

Unfortunately, Cassidy can't resist whenever anyone calls him by his real name. Dick may not be joining Mensa anytime soon, but he's caught on to a few things.

So Cassidy accompanies Dick to yet another lame party, this one at some girl named Chrissy's.

He sighs and slips into the passenger seat, frowning. There are only so many times Cassidy wants to watch his brother get completely wasted and hit on random girls. It's not really an appealing way to spend his time in the first place, but Cassidy's been his brother's sidekick for a couple years, and it's getting to become excruciating.

Dick puts the address into the GPS, and they ride in silence the entire way, except for the calm, computerized voice telling them to "please, if possible, make a legal U-turn."

There are already cars parked all along the street, so Dick parks a block away from the house and the two brothers walk. Cassidy moves more slowly, and stays a few paces behind Dick. Dick doesn't notice.

They enter the foyer, and the party is obviously in full swing. It's hot and crowded and hard to breath. Cassidy grabs a Sprite (caffeine makes him jumpy and he doesn't trust himself intoxicated) and pushes his way out to the backyard.

The cool, evening air is a welcome contrast to the sweaty atmosphere of the dance floor. He smiles and passes the shimmering pool to sit on the grass. Sipping his soda, he vows to himself that he'll never listen to Dick ever again. Even now, Cassidy knows he won't keep this promise. He is, after all, the smart one.

Even though it's well into the evening, the sun is just now setting. That's his favorite thing about the summer; more than hanging out at the beach or the lack of homework, Cassidy loves the long days and short nights.

His gaze absently wanders, and he notices a girl sitting a few yards away from him. She's wearing headphones, slightly bobbing her head (presumably in time to whatever she's listening to), and her scowl suggests she's not having any more fun than Cassidy is. She's cute; he thinks he may have seen her in the computer lab or something at school.

He isn't sure what gives him the courage to approach her. Maybe video games really do make you crazy. Although he's pretty sure they're only supposed to turn you into a serial killer, not make you talk to random girls.

Whether or not his reasoning is related to his Playstation, he does go up to her. She doesn't see him at first, so he taps her on the shoulder. She shrieks, then pulls off her headphones.

"Jesus, you scared me!" she exclaims, shock still evident on her face.

"Huh. I hadn't noticed."

"Your wit, it kills me," she mutters, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Cassidy tells her genuinely. She nods. "So. Having fun?"

She snorts. "Time of my life. My friend dragged me here to 'keep her company,'" she says, using air-quotes, "then promptly went off to make out with her boyfriend in some closet."

"Charming."

"Indeed."

"I'm Cassidy."

"Oh."

"This would generally be your cue to introduce yourself," Cassidy explains.

"Thanks for clearing that up. I'm Mac."

"Do you have a brother named Dell or something?"

"Are you always this clever?" she deadpans.

"It depends. Most people can't appreciate the sophistication of my humor. I figured you might be different." It's a little bit subtler than the outrageous pick-up lines Dick uses, but Mac isn't having any of it.

"Could you be any lamer?"

"Are you trying to set a world record for the longest string of rhetorical questions or something?"

Mac just laughs.

"Anyways, yeah, I could."

"Could what?"

"I could be any lamer," he clarifies.

She snorts. "Try me."

Cassidy leans in towards her and wiggles his eyebrows. "Come here often?" She giggles. Oh God. He's never made a girl giggle before. Ever. Okay, maybe a couple times, but he's almost positive that those girls were laughing _at him_, not with him.

"So, baby, what's your sign?" Mac jokes, dropping her voice a few octaves.

"Do you know karate? Because your body is kickin'."

"Hey, are you tired? Because you've been running through my mind _all day_."

"Nice shirt…it would look better on my floor."

This last one has Mac clutching her stomach she's laughing so hard.

"Man…" she sighs. "You must have the ladies all over you with that one."

Cassidy simultaneously grins and blushes.

They sit quietly for a moment, but their silence isn't as awkward as he would expect it to be. No, it's a different kind of silence, but he can't quite put his finger on how.

"So, what's your story?" Mac casually inquires. "Forgive me if I don't quite get the party animal impression from you."

"My brother made me come."

"You couldn't have said no?"

"I guess so. I don't know. It's weird, it's hard to explain. I don't really fit in with my family."

"Yeah. I know the feeling. I was switched at birth with Madison Sinclair," she informs him, like she's telling him her birthday or the name of her cat.

"Please tell me you're using hyperbole."

Mac shakes her head. "Nope."

"That's insane."

"We live in Neptune. Weirder things have happened."

"That's true. We should have our own reality show or something," Cassidy laughs. "But…isn't that bizarre? The thing with Madison?"

"Yeah, I suppose it is a little unnerving knowing that I live with people who share genes with the antichrist."

"You're not a member of her fan club, I take it?"

"What are you talking about? We have t-shirts and everything."

He just looks at her. She's so strange, but he thinks he likes her.

And when she presses her mouth against his, he knows he definitely likes her. They're lying on the ground kissing and he has blades of grass in his hair and mud on his jeans and not one part of his brain notices. Her mouth tastes like orange soda.

Cassidy isn't sure how much time has passed when they finally break apart.

Mac is blushing. "I don't normally...do things like that."

"Pity," Cassidy mumbles, half to himself.

"I'm not a slut."

"No," he agrees, and she smiles. "You seem more like a ho," he adds, after a minute. She flicks him in the head.

"So what does that make you? A manwhore?"

"Something like that. But you know, Romeo and Juliet did get engaged the night they met. So we're actually way behind them," Cassidy points out.

Mac raises an eyebrow. "You really think modeling your love life after those particular characters is wise?"

He shrugs. "I guess you're right. We're a tragedy waiting to happen."

"I think I can handle it."

"Cool." Cassidy takes her hand in his and the sit there for a while.

Their serenity is interrupted when a female voices calls out Mac's name. They both turn to see Veronica Mars, her arm around Logan Echolls.

"I'd better go," Mac says.

"Okay. I'll see you at school or something? We should hang out."

The sky is dark now, but he can still see her face light up. "Sounds good."

She stands, somewhat clumsily, brushing herself off as she does so. With a final glance at Cassidy, she joins Veronica.

"Bonding with Beaver?" he overhears Logan ask.

"Who?" Mac replies.

Cassidy grins and watches her go.

_They lost their lives in backyards._


End file.
